Our plan to modernise tennis in New Zealand

Access to a range of great tools

Thanks to the great momentum and the initiatives already underway across our regions - such as IT platforms, Performance pathways, regional training centres and coordinated national marketing campaigns – we’re able to accelerate our combined efforts to roll out a robust set of Nationally Shared Initiatives to grow and improve tennis in New Zealand

We’ve seen how working together on campaigns like ‘Love Tennis’ can grow the game, and how our unified response to COVID-19 has helped people to play safely in their bubbles across the country.

To build on this, the CEO Group (CEOG) has agreed to a range of Nationally Shared Initiatives that will be accessible to every club in New Zealand.  This will enable us to provide the same fantastic experience to all participants, whether they are based at the tip of the North Island or in the heart of the South Island.

As always, our first priority is to work with our clubs to ensure we deliver initiatives that are right for our players.  Clubs are the backbone of our tennis community and it is essential we work together to offer quality programmes and products that make running a club easier and make our sport stronger.

FAQs - Nationally Shared Initiatives

  • ClubSpark/Book-a-Court
  • National participant database
  • Regional Performance Programmes
  • National marketing campaigns
  • National Programmes including Hot Shots, Cardio Tennis and Tennis Xpress
  • Strong Clubs
  • Safe Tennis List and Coach Registration
  • Staffing, Culture and Sustainability
  • Tournaments and Competitions

While many of the projects are already in progress across our regions - such as Love Tennis and Club Spark - the purpose of the Nationally Shared Initiatives is to agree a set of priorities that will be delivered nationally on an annual basis.

Some projects have great momentum, but not all of the national initiatives are universally supported at a local level, or seen as priorities.   

We understand that not all of the initiatives will be right for all of the clubs, so there is the option to not participate in those that aren’t right for you or your area. 

Having Nationally Shared Initiatives means that we will ask you, if you are working on a similar project, to follow the national initiative instead of delivering an independent local project.  This will help us to achieve our commitment to growing and improving the tennis experience, across New Zealand, for all participants.

Some existing national initiatives are jointly funded by all participants (e.g. Love Tennis in 2019), some by Regions and Tennis NZ, and others (e.g ClubSpark) are fully funded by Tennis NZ or like Book a Court which is heavily subsidised by Tennis NZ.


Keeping our participants safe with new registration systems

Providing our participants with a healthy and safe environment is a top priority for us all.  This means we each need to play our part in following the Participant Protection Policy. 

To do this, we’re launching a police vetting service for anyone within the tennis system that has regular contact with children.  This service will be for coaches, managers, volunteers and club administrators.

Our vision is also to create a registry for professional tennis coaches in New Zealand.  This will detail qualifications, services, and other relevant information that is helpful for prospective employers, participants and potential customers.

This registration system will ensure that we meet an agreed set of standards, such as checks on criminal history, professional qualifications and first aid training.

Further details will be shared in the coming months. 


Building a national register of tennis players

To truly bring our tennis system into the 21st century, we need digital platforms that help us to work smarter by reducing administration time, gathering data and insights easily, and therefore making tennis more accessible for anyone who wishes to participate.  We will also be able to deliver national marketing campaigns, like Love Tennis, far more effectively.  This is why we’re planning to develop a national register of tennis players.     

The register will benefit us all and will be a shared resource for clubs, associations and regions, while ensuring appropriate access rights so we’re compliant with our privacy obligations.

It’s early days yet, but more information will be shared as we make progress in building the registration system.


Streamlining the way we operate

Our vision is to streamline the way we operate by providing clarity on our national and local roles and responsibilities, and also clarity in the way we charge and collect fees.  The next stage is to then formalise the way we work together by developing a Charter which will detail who will provide what services within the community. Later, we will refresh the constitutional framework to reflect our new operating model and membership structure. 

Clarification on roles and responsibilities is integral to streamlining the way we operate and will be outlined in the National and Local Services Charters.  Following discussions we had with clubs last year, Tennis NZ and the Tennis Regions have agreed on a list of National and Local Services that will be delivered either nationally by Tennis New Zealand, or locally by regions, associations, tennis centres or clubs.

Our Nationally Shared Initiatives, as outlined under the ‘Access to a range of great tools’ section above, will make up our National Service Charters. 

The whole tennis system – clubs, coaches and players - will benefit as the charter will provide clarity on who does what, when and how.  The charters will also create greater transparency around what participants are paying for and to whom that money is paid.   

Providing clarity in the way we charge and collect fees will also streamline how we operate.  Our current membership affiliation fee model is no longer fit for purpose.  Participants and clubs aren’t sure exactly what they are paying for; additionally, clubs and associations don’t have clear information to provide their members. 

We want to simplify the way that fees are collected for the whole tennis system by making it simple for everyone to understand and easy to make a payment through an online process.

As we understand our future IT systems and how they can simplify the way we collect fees, we will be discussing next steps with representatives of regions, clubs and associations later in the year.

We will also be creating a new constitutional framework that will see us align to new government legislation, our governance model and priorities.  This will ensure the service we provide across New Zealand enables all tennis players to easily access facilities and ultimately generate greater value for participants.

Further details about the National and Local Services Charters, constitutional framework, and how we measure success will be shared as we progress through this body of work.


Future proofing our facilities

Providing a high standard of infrastructure and facilities that are usable year-round for players, coaching and performance programmes, is important.

Our plan calls for each local area in New Zealand to review its own infrastructure, including number and mix of courts, lighting, weatherproof covering and clubhouse facilities. Having a coordinated plan can help access the funding needed. 

The local services review will take place when each area is ready and rolled out when funding is available.

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